The only other scenario would be to get an opposing manager to waste a right pinch hitter in earlier innings for matchup reasons which may only happen a couple times at most over the course of the regular season.

Post season tournament baseball is a totally different scenario, having the perceived threat of additional lefty may cause a manager to (over) react early and waste a bench player.

I suppose it comes down to flexibility, it’s great to have but it doesn’t mean squat if the LH’rs aren’t effective when called upon.

]]>By: paperlionshttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435643
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:18:02 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435643The problem is that the Cardinals have a bullpen full of power arm righties that are awesome at getting out lefties and that have been just as good at it as Rzepczynski (copied and pasted from PC, thanks man)…but who are also good at getting out righties. There are very few lefties that have a huge platoon split that won’t be pinch hit for….so bringing in Rzepczynski/Choate when you think they’ll wind up facing a pinch hitter is just a horrible decision, because then they are stuck in there to face a righty. The possible decrease in effectiveness of the Cardinal RHPs versus lefties is far outweighed by their increase in effectiveness versus righties…..so the only time either of these guys should ever come into a close game is when Matheny is 100% certain that the LHH is not going to be pinch hit for.
]]>By: apmnhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435642
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:16:06 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435642Now he can afford to buy a vowel.
]]>By: proudlycanadianhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435630
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:05:58 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435630Unlike some St. Louis fans, my spell check has got the name Rzepczynski spelled correctly. No need to refer to him as Scrabble. Do not know what happened to him last season. He pitched much better when he was a Blue Jay.
]]>By: stlouis1baseballhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435559
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:54:27 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435559Two arms will definatly give M.M. more options. As Albert pointed out…Scrabble and Rhodes were both viable options during the W.S. drive.
]]>By: stlouis1baseballhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435552
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:52:31 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435552Great point Albert. Personally, I am hoping the Scrabble from two years ago re-surfaces.
Of course…we only had him or half a season upon his initial signing. Last years (full season) version might be all you get. We can certainly hope for better.
]]>By: digbysellershttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435550
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:51:15 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435550Yes, he was the only leftie last year and it will certainly help having another LOOGY in the bullpen. Rep was way less effective last year and Matheny could only use him once (obviously) which meant Rep got burned way too often when teams wasted him vs some crap leftie pinch hitter all the while a more potent left handed batter was coming up later in the inning.
]]>By: okwhitefalconhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435548
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:50:26 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435548Scrabble’s was simple, Freese % $ divide is much greater.

I suspect it’ll get done sooner than later but Scrabble’s was just easier.

]]>By: cardsfanandihttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435544
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:46:15 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435544Did I miss where they cleared things up with David Freese? I’d like to think he would be a bigger priority than scrabble…
]]>By: albertmnhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435543
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:45:36 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435543Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Rzepczynski the only lefty in the pen most of the season? Having two lefties should lessen the workload on either and might make both more effective. The previous season, they also had Rhodes from the left side down the stretch.
]]>By: stlouis1baseballhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/01/cardinals-avoid-arbitration-with-marc-rzepczynski/comment-page-1/#comment-435521
Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:30:56 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=294948#comment-435521Not sure what to make of this. I mean…as Aaron stated…Randy Choate is the LH Specialist.
Qualification: Don’t confuse this post with me liking the Randy Choate signing.
I do NOT like the Randy Choate signing.
]]>